RAWALAKOT: (Azadi Times News Network) The Interior Department of Pakistan has temporarily closed the passport office in Rawalkot Azad Kashmir. The decision to close the passport office was allegedly made due to torture by some citizens on the staff of the passport office and interim bail of the accused. Azadi Times Reported.
An FIR has been registered in the local police station against the attack and the accused, but the accused have obtained interim bail from the local court. This incident took place two days ago. Ayaz Khadim, a local citizen, went to the passport office to renew his passport. Requested to renew the passport.
The passport staff asked for some additional documents as per the new prevailing rules, which the applicant objected to.
Meanwhile, he had a bitter conversation with the staff and he went to the assistant director with a complaint. But the assistant director also raised the same objections that the address of Rawalpindi is written on your ID card, so you should also submit a copy of the domicile. More bitterness started between the applicant and his associates and the incident escalated to assault.
FIR No. 306/22 filed by Passport Office Assistant Director Nouman Shehzad under Sections 452/324, 337A/353, 186/430A, 147/148, 149 PC, EHA20 named 6 unknown accused including Ayaz Khadim Sukna Padat, Bilal Shakeel Advocate Sukna Rawlakot, Mohammad Zareen Khan Sukna Pothi.
According to the FIR, the accused Ayaz Khadim abused Waqas Kabir who was on duty. After that, he entered the office of the questioner (assistant director) and spoke abusively. After closing the door of the office, they attacked him and seriously injured him.
The accused also vandalized government goods and government property and caused a loss of lakhs of rupees. People’s passport forms were also forcefully taken out from the desk drawers and baskets and some forms were also torn while the questioner’s mobile phone was also taken away.
According to the sources of the Passport Office, Assistant Director Nauman Shehzad is undergoing treatment in a hospital in Rawalpindi, he had sent a report to the Home Department regarding this fact, after which this office has been temporarily closed.
Before this, the citizens here used to get their passports first from Rawalpindi, later from Muzaffarabad, and then from Arja. Now, due to the closure of the passport office, the citizens will continue to face severe difficulties. After Mirpur in Azad Kashmir, most passports are issued from Poonch.
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